LakbayLoyd Lighthouse Series 11: EL FARO DE PUNTA LUZARAN (GUISI POINT LIGHT HOUSE), Nueva Valencia, Guimaras

It was like hitting two birds in one stone when I visited and roam the island of Guimaras for one day in July 2014. I was able to visit two lighthouses in just a single day - El Faro De Islote Siete Pecados in the morning and El Faro De Punta Luzaran in the afternoon. Zaldy, my tour guide from DOT Guimaras (093533422740) was very kind to offer his motorcycle as our official tour vehicle for my entire trip, giving me the opportunity to visit the entire province's significant landmarks traversing from the farthest north town of Buenavista to the southernmost tip of Guimaras, the Guisi Point in Bgy Dolores, town of NuevaValencia.

Most commonly called Guisi Point Light House, El Faro De Punta Luzaran was considered the second oldest lighthouse in the Philippines. People of Guimaras take pride of this historical structure making sure almost all visitors in the island don't miss this.

For a very long time, the lighthouse served as a  navigational aid for fishermen and sailors cruising the Panay Gulf. It was built under the Spanish government and was completed in 1896. The lighthouse marked the south entrance to Iloilo. Currently, the entire lighthouse was in ruins and no longer operational. Another tower, a white generic modern light was built close to the original tower.

I skipped the idea of climbing the top of the lighthouse for safety reasons. Nevertheless, the view of the surrounding bay from the top of Guisi Point is so charming and relaxing. Downhill was the magnificent view of different rock formations and of course, the famous Guisi beachfront.

Updates as of October 2017

I cannot recall how many times I have frequented Guimaras Island, but it is always a delight in my heart to visit this magnificent island and to have a wonderful time with my Guimarasnon friend Zaldy Dicen who never get tired of bringing me around the island no matter how many times we return to the Siete Pecados and Guisi lighthouses, the heritage town of Navalas, eat at The Pitstop in Jordan for that uniquely delicious mango pizza, buy souvenirs at the Trappist Monastery, enjoy the heights and sights of the windmills at the San Lorenzo Wind Farm, and of course, eating as many Guimaras mangoes as you can, the most popular in the island and considered as the world's most delicious mango.

LakbayLoyd Lighthouse Series 10: EL FARO DE ISLOTE SIETE PECADOS, Siete Pecados Islands, Dumangas, Iloilo

Not much have been written about this historical landmark and location. El Faro De Islote Siete Pecados was built in 1897 and stood on top of the biggest of the seven islands of Siete Pecados, a small group of islands scattered closely to each other guarding the entrance of Iloilo Strait, part of Dumangas, the gateway to then bustling trade in the Port of Iloilo City.

The lighthouse's current state is depressing - ceiling torn down to wreckage, walls full of spray paints and other forms of vandalism - such an unfortunate conclusion to a significant landmark of the province. The local government was not able to restore the old lighthouse, obviously, but managed to install a modern generic white light tower next to the old structure to serve as guide to passing vessels.

Understanding the lighthouse's significance, I managed my visit to Siete Pecados Light Station through the help of several DOT staff from Buenavista, Guimaras. Ms.Tina Fernandez (cel. 09177915477), Tourism Officer of Buenavista, her staff, Katkat and Zaldy (cel. 09353342274), were my event coordinators for this trip. And to my and their amazement, I was one of the very few tourists with this kind of unusual itinerary.

The Siete Pecados islands are most accessible from Buenavista, Guimaras, which is 15-minutes away by pumpboat from Parola Port in Iloilo City. A short habal-habal ride in and around Buenavista town was added to my island tour by Zaldy before taking a small fishing boat for the islands. These boats can be found along the beach next to Roca Encatada - the heritage and summer house of the Lopez clan.

Commonly, the islands serve only as shelter and picnic ground for fishermen. Sadly, bits and pieces of litter surround the island.